Egypt FM, UN coordinator discuss ways to expedite flow of aid to Palestinians

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. (AP)
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  • Sameh Shoukry, Sigrid Kaag reiterate need for more support for Gaza
  • All nations must play their part, officials say

CAIRO: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has stressed the importance of international parties fulfilling their obligations to implement a UN resolution calling for more humanitarian aid for Gaza.

He was speaking during a telephone call with Sigrid Kaag, the UN’s senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza.

According to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zaid, Shoukry and Kaag exchanged views on how best to implement the mechanism established by UN Security Council Resolution 2720.

They agreed on the importance of increasing aid to Gaza in a timely and effective manner and stressed the need to provide financial and political support to ensure service facilities and relief agencies were able to continue operating in the Gaza Strip, the spokesperson said.

Shoukry referred to the decision of the International Court of Justice for Israel to provide urgent humanitarian aid to Gaza and said it should remove all impediments to the delivery of essential goods and services.

He said Egypt fully supported Kaag’s mandate to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to those in need.

The UN official expressed her gratitude for Egypt’s efforts in providing humanitarian aid and reaffirmed her commitment to continue working with the African nation on the issue.

The telephone call came after Shoukry and Kaag met last week in Cairo to discuss the ongoing crisis in Gaza.